New Kiski Township Sewage Authority holds first meeting to oversee $16 million sewerage project

The newly established Kiski Township Sewage Authority will hold its first meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday to organize and chart plans for a townshipwide $16 million sewerage project.

With only about 10% of township homes and businesses connected to public sewer lines, supervisors in the past several years have been planning to greatly expand the township sewer system to spur economic and residential growth.

The project will bring public sewerage to about 700 homes and buildings in the Orchard Hills area, a neighborhood near Route 56 and Florida Avenue, then along Route 56 to the Apollo-Ridge High School campus and other areas off Route 56, according to township officials.

“The goal, in addition to pinpointing malfunctioning small sewage systems and correcting them, is to provide more public sewerage to help the township tax base,” township Supervisor Chuck Rodnicki said. “Anytime you have municipal sewers and water lines, it’s progress for your township to bring in new housing and businesses.”

The Pennsylvania Department of State certified the new authority this month, said Rodnicki, who is an authority board member. By law, the authority is autonomous. It will make its own decisions on planning and executing the sewerage project, which will take years, Rodnicki said.

The fledgling authority does not have an office or a phone number yet.

Thursday’s public meeting will be the authority’s first. It will be devoted primarily to organizational tasks such as naming the board president, vice president, treasurer and other positions and deciding on how often they will meet, Rodnicki said.

In addition to Rodnicki, the authority’s board members include A.J. Bione, longtime board representative to the Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority; Calvin Creighton, member of the township planning commission; former Apollo Mayor William Kerr; and Rebecca Rupert, township zoning officer.

“It’s a big step in starting the sewer project,” Rodnicki said.

In the next year, the authority’s board plans to tackle design stages, planning, acquiring rights of way and securing grants and/or low-interest loans, Rodnicki said.

It might take up two years to start laying sewer lines, he said.

To see the authority’s meeting schedule after Thursday’s meeting, visit the township website, kiskitownship-pa.gov.